Water cut off in Mombasa over illegal connections

Mombasa County Executive Member for Water, Environment and Natural resources Fatma Awale (in white t shirt and cap) together with other county officials inspect illegal water connections at Funga Shati area in Jomvu Sub County on April 7 2016. Photo by Mwangi Muraguri/ Standard.

Mombasa County Government recently ordered the closure of 2,500 water kiosks across the six sub-counties to streamline its operations.

Water, Environment and Natural Resources Executive Fatma Awale said the move was aimed at curbing revenue loss. According to Awale, 70 per cent of projected revenue from sale of water is lost through illegal connection and distribution.

She claimed rogue officers from the Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company (Mowasco) collude with vendors to establish the illegal connections.

Speaking during an inspection tour in Funga Shati in Jomvu sub-county, Ms Awale said the county will disconnect the over 100 illegal lines in the area.

She vowed to dismantle all the illegal connections before licensing new operators, saying women groups, youth groups and People Living with Disability would be given priority.

She also pledged to formulate and enforce new rules, for instance, that kiosks be 100 metres apart, adherence to hygiene standards and retail water at Sh2 per 20 liter pale.

Mowasco General Manager in-charge of Business and Customer Service Wilson Tuigong disclosed the corporation was losing over Sh5 million to illegal connectors.

Residents have been lamenting of water shortage since the operation to shut down illegal operators began two weeks ago.